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This chapter considers the effectiveness of self-administered treatments for anxiety—media-based approaches such as manuals, self-help books, audiotapes, computer programs, and Internet sites that allow individuals to help themselves with minimal therapist contact. Systematic and meta-analytic reviews of traditional self-administered treatments or bibliotherapy suggest that in research settings these interventions produce encouraging medium-effect sizes that are smaller than therapist-guided interventions. Web-based treatment, provided through the Internet, has the potential for very wide...

This chapter considers the effectiveness of self-administered treatments for anxiety—media-based approaches such as manuals, self-help books, audiotapes, computer programs, and Internet sites that allow individuals to help themselves with minimal therapist contact. Systematic and meta-analytic reviews of traditional self-administered treatments or bibliotherapy suggest that in research settings these interventions produce encouraging medium-effect sizes that are smaller than therapist-guided interventions. Web-based treatment, provided through the Internet, has the potential for very wide reach. Some degree of therapist contact during self-administered treatments is related to larger effect sizes, suggesting that therapist monitoring may increase engagement in treatment. Research is needed on approaches to recruitment, screening, increasing engagement, and evaluating the cost of programs.